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Unwanted Birthday Gifts
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London, England
5 May 1607
Sixteen-year-old Lady Yolande Ione-Viola Corcoran awoke on her seventeenth birthday to sunlight pouring in through the crystal clear glass windows of her bed-chamber. The walls of the chamber were hung with royal blue velvet tapestries, the floor carpeted in an expensive amber, and royal blue embroidered rug. On the east wall, there were a pair of double doors leading to an enormous dressing chamber and an equally sized bath chamber. The west wall consisted of a large marble fireplace, shelves full of books, and a door connecting to the bedchamber beside it. A large, canopy bed made of sienna wood sat in the center of the room.
She stretched her tall, lithe frame as a brilliant smile spread across her angelic features. Today is my seventeenth birthday! she thought to herself ecstatically. She threw back the silk royal blue and amber covers of her bed and padded across the bedchamber floor. She went to the double doors leading out onto the balcony and threw them open. She crossed the balcony, the marble cool underneath her bare feet, and placed her hand on the smooth marble railing.
A radiant smile crossed her pale alabaster face with excitement. Below her, she could see the grounds people tidying the vast grounds of the Corcorans' estate for the preparation of her sweet seventeen birthday. There was a soft knock on the door, she turned and danced back into the bedchamber.
"Come in," Yolande called out in a soft, gentle voice.
The door opened and a maid she did not recognize walked into the chamber. The timid girl smiled hesitantly at her. Yolande blinked her sapphire blue eyes in confusion.
"Good morning, milady." The girl said in a quiet voice.
"Who are you? What has happened to Clare?" asked Yolande.
"His Lordship has assigned me to you. It appears that Clare had gotten herself into a little bit of trouble." The girl replied quietly, a scarlet tint rising to her pale cheeks.
Yolande eyed the girl in amusement. This girl must be no older than fourteen or fifteen. She thought to herself. She studied the girl before with sharp eyes. She had long, honey blonde hair, large brown eyes, a tall willowy form, and pale ivory skin. I can settle for her.
"What is your name?" she asked the young girl kindly.
"My name is Tawny Mahogany-Aruna Brownlow, milady." The girl replied timidly.
"How old are you, Tawny?" asked Yolande.
"Today is my sixteenth birthday, milady," replied Tawny in a meek tone.
Yolande studied the girl with open curiosity as Tawny studied her back just as curiously. This girl is almost a young woman. I'll have to talk to Father about making her, my companion. Yolande thought. She gave a nod of her head and turned around away from the other. Tawny followed her to the closet.
"You can start by ringing for hot water," suggested Yolande.
As the girl scampered off to do her bidding, Yolande continued into the enormous closet. Tawny joined her soon afterward and they began deciding on a gown she would wear. During the decision-making process, Yolande studied the girl once again. She's about the same size as me in a dress. Her gaze flickered down to the girl's slender feet. The same size in the foot also.
Yolande returned her attention to the situation at hand and they finally decided on a silk turquoise gown with the sleeves, hem, and bodice embroidered with silver thread and matching turquoise slippers. After Yolande had bathed and dressed she sat down at her marble vanity table so Tawny could dress her hair. The girl picked up a brand new sterling silver brush and ran the tough bristles through Yolande's long, golden blonde curls. She then pulled some of her hair back and secured it with a silver comb decorated with turquoise jewels. When Tawny had completed the task, Yolande stood and went back into the closet.
Tawny followed behind her, wondering what her lady was about to do. Yolande took down a rose-colored gown embroidered with gold thread and took out matching rose-colored slippers. She walked back into the bedchamber and went to the antique armoire. She shifted through the starched white undergarments and took out a camisole and a couple of petticoats. Yolande then laid the clothing out on the bed and motioned for Tawny to go into the adjoining bath chamber.
Tawny stared at her with confusion swirling in her brown eyes.
"Go into the bath chamber and take your bath," said Yolande with a soft smile. Tawny continued to stare at her in growing confusion. "That's an order."
She then shooed the other girl away. Afterward, Tawny sat at the vanity table while her mistress pinned a gold comb decorated with rose-colored jewels into her honey blonde hair. She stared at her reflection in a mixture of awe and joy.
"Milady..." began Tawny and then stopped, her voice clouding with tears. She couldn't find the words for the feelings that welled up inside her.
"You may call me Yolande from now on," said Yolande to her with a warm smile.
Tears welled in Tawny's dull brown eyes as she stared at her lady in the mirror. Yolande patted her shoulder and then took her hand.
"Come. Father is waiting," she said.
Yolande pulled Tawny from the room and down the hall to the large curving staircase leading down to the first floor. The girls descended the staircase and made their way to the dining chamber. They entered the room and came to a stop beside Lord Porfirio Corcoran. He eyed both of the girls with amusement shining in his bright blue eyes as Lady Viola Corcoran smiled at them with her indigo blue eye glowing in her pale face.
"Well. What do we have here?" asked Lord Corcoran, smiling up at the girls.
"I have a proposition to make, milord," said Yolande.
Lord Corcoran raised a black eyebrow and then nodded his head in consent.
"I wish to make Tawny my companion and, since it is her birthday also, this is my special gift to her," she informed her parents.
Tawny and Lord and Lady Corcoran all looked at her with surprise written in their expressions, un-prepared for the words coming from her lips. Yolande smiled innocently, her sapphire blue eyes sparkling hopefully. Lady Corcoran then turned towards Tawny.
"How old are you, dear?" she asked the young girl kindly.
Tawny lowered her eyes to the carpeted floor in embarrassment.
"I am sixteen today, milady," she answered quietly.
"You may call me Viola," said Lady Corcoran gently with a soft smile.
Tawny smiled back at her, her brown eyes brimming with tears once again. All the while, Lord Corcoran looked entirely in thought.
"I suppose I could make you my ward," he said thoughtfully in conclusion, pulling himself out of his thoughts.
Her wide, stun-filled eyes flickered to him. He'd make me his ward? Tawny looked at Yolande, who smiled back at her happily. She smiled back at the other girl, excitement and newfound happiness flowing through her body. The girls took their seats at the table as the kitchen maids began serving breakfast.
After the morning meal, the girl retreated to the second level. Yolande showed Tawny to the bedchamber beside her own.
"There are connecting doors so you can come and consult me on anything," she said.
Tawny nodded her head in understanding. The girls entered the bedchamber. They took in the velvet green tapestries on the walls, the floor carpeted with a saffron blue and emerald green embroidered rug. On the east wall, there were a pair of double doors leading to an enormous dressing chamber and an equally sized bath chamber. The west wall consisted of a large marble fireplace, shelves of books, and a door leading to the chamber beside it.
"This is a very lovely bedchamber," said Tawny in awe.
Yolande giggled softly at the other girl's reaction.
"I am glad you like it."
"I do not like it... I love it!" squealed Tawny excitedly.
Yolande laughed a throaty laugh and took her new sister's hand.
"Come, we are going to go shopping for your new wardrobe."
The girls hurried from the chamber and down the staircase. They met the family friend and butler, Nigel Smith, at the door.
"Your father gave me this bag of gold and sent the carriage around to meet you," he said as he handed Yolanda a small velvet pouch full of gold. "Use it wisely."
She smiled sweetly as she kissed his cheek. "Do not worry, Nigel. We already know."
The girls then ran out of the mansion and into the coach. They spent the rest of the morning and half of the afternoon going from one clothing boutique to another. Tawny glanced up at the sun and saw that the hour was getting late.
"We should head back, Yolande. Porfirio and Viola would be worried out of their minds," she said to Yolande as they shared an afternoon meal out on the main road
"Of course." agreed Yolande.
She placed a few coins on the table and the girls gathered their packages. Yolande looped her arm through Tawny's as they walked towards the carriage. The girls arrived an hour before the party and Lady Corcoran met them in the hall with their new maids.
"There you are, girls. Hurry, we must get you ready for the party." she clapped her hands and the maids rushed their charges up the staircase.
They were ushered into their separate bed-chambers and into another tub of steaming water. Soon afterward the girls were dressed and ready to greet their guests. Yolande and Tawny stood in the great foyer beside Lord and Lady Corcoran as the great door opened, emitting their guests.
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The night passed with dancing, dining, chatting, and mingling. Lord Corcoran stood back and watched his daughter and his new ward enjoyed themselves mingling with the young social elite circle. They were currently talking with a group of girls around their age. He sighed as his wife came to stand beside him. Lord Corcoran turned and smiled at his beautiful wife that resembled their equally beautiful daughter.
Lady Corcoran smiled at him as her indigo blue eyes glowed in the candlelight, her long, black curls framing her oval-shaped ivory face.
"Would you like to dance, milord?" she asked in a soft voice.
Lord Corcoran bowed formally and her smile grew brilliant. "I would love to, milady."
He took her hand in his as he led her to the dance floor. Tawny and Yolande watched as Lord and Lady Corcoran danced at the center of the floor, staring at each other as if they were seeing one another for the first time. The girls looked at each other and giggled. Near midnight the party wound down and the girls stood in the foyer, bidding their guest's od night. Seconds later, Yolande and Tawny hurried up to their bedchambers to change out of their gowns and into regular evening gowns.
They retreated into the gardens to watch the stars.
"Tonight was the best night of my life. Thank you, Lady Yolande, for the most wonderful gift." said Tawny.
Yolande turned around and saw tears welling in the girl's eyes. She reached out and wrapped her slender arms around her new sister. Tawny embraced her, letting her tears fall. The girls both sat down on the bench, sniffling softly in the silent garden, and then Yolande sat up suddenly, smiling mischievously. Tawny looked back at her questioningly.
Yolande just took her hand and led her across the garden and into the trees surround half of the estate.
"Where are we going?" asked Tawny uncertainly.
"To a secret place, I had found when I was a child," replied Yolande as they continued through the brush and trees until they came to stop outside open space.
Tawny gasped at the sight before her. The little clearing was lit up by the moon that hung directly above it, making it appear magical. There, also, was a small waterfall and a river, paving a glittering path down the far side of the clearing and spilling out into a small lake. Yolande stepped forward, slipping from the white silk button-down gown.
Tawny watched, in complete awe, as her tall slender lithe form crossed the grass, looking like the virgin huntress Artemis with her waist-length, platinum curls rippling down her slender back, the moon-light making her alabaster skin glow inhumanly. Yolande paused at the edge of the lake and then dived gracefully into the silvery water as Tawny watched, horrified. She quickly ran over to the lake and stood at the edge where she had last seen her sister.
"Yolande?" called Tawny, her quiet voice floating across the water.
"Have you ever gone off by yourself to swim in a pond at night?" Yolande's voice called from a few feet away from her.
Tawny squeaked and jumped slightly, her brown eyes frantically searching the still water of the pond. She saw the other girl's pale head floating above the dark water slightly to her left. Yolande smiled, beckoning to her.
"Come in. The water's fine," she said merrily.
"But what if someone comes and sees us?" squeaked Tawny, her eyes now searching the trees on the other side the lake for any signs of human life.
"No one knows of this clearing but you and me," Yolande reassured her.
She lifted her hand and beckoned her sister to come and join her. Tawny looked around hesitantly, saw that no one had suddenly appeared in the seconds she had looked at her sister, and then shed her gown. She slowly stepped into the water, sighing as it warmly covered her body like liquid silk. Tawny smiled gleefully as she swam over to Yolande. The girls frolicked and played in the water like the ancient water sprites they had read in Greek Mythology.
Hours later the girls pulled themselves from the water and laid out in the grass to dry off and moon bathe.
"This is really relaxing," said Tawny as she stared up at the bright stars shining in the midnight blue sky.
"I do this every chance I get." agreed Yolande softly.
They continued to lay in the grass and soak up the soft rays of the moon until they were quite tired from their big day. The girls dressed and then started into the trees to head back home. As they walked together in silence they felt someone watching them. Tawny stopped suddenly and peered into the deep shadows of the trees.
"Are you sure no one had seen us?" she whispered quietly as a shiver ran up her spine.
"No," Yolande whispered back just as quietly as the same shiver ran up her own spine.
The girls stood still for a moment longer to listen to the trees around them. All was silent.
"Perhaps we should hurry," whispered Tawny, her voice a pitch higher than it was before.
Yolande nodded her head in agreement and the girls picked up their skirts to hurry through the line of trees. Tawny, who was trailing slightly behind, let out a fearful yelp. Yolande stopped suddenly and slowly turned around. Her sister was no longer behind her.
"Tawny?" she called loudly, her voice shaking slightly with fright.
"Run, milady, run!" Tawny's scream suddenly pierced the surrounding darkness, high with the sound of her fear. "There's a Vampyre here!"
Her blood running cold in her veins, Yolande stood frozen to the spot. She heard her sister scream and heard the pain in her voice. Her heart stopped and restarted, thudding painfully in her chest, Yolande whirled about and ran, desperate to get back to her parents and tell them what had happened to Tawny. She glanced back as she ran and saw a deathly pale demon chasing after her, the bottom half of his beautifully chiseled face covered with the dark, drying blood of her sister, his endless black eyes wide and bright thirst and the excitement of the chase.
Yolande screamed in horror and turned away from him as she continued to dart through the trees. She gathered another handful of her skirt and puffed on, letting her long legs free to gain more speed. The Vampyre soon gained on her and took her down with strong cold arms around her waist. Yolande scrambled frantically, trying to break out of his vice grip around her waist. The Vampyre chuckled darkly in her ear, causing goosebumps to rise on her skin.
"Silly little prey," he cooed to her. "As if you can escape me."
She froze, knowing that this night will be her last night on earth, knowing that she will never see her parents or Nigel ever again. She closed her eyes as she felt his sharp, ultra-white fangs pierce the soft skin of her throat.
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